The body of a woman is referred to as vulnerable because it...

The body of a woman is referred to as vulnerable because it is like a house which contains no walls and can be easily harmed and must be covered by some kind of an enclosure. Now let us look at what the edicts say. 'Allamah in Tazkirat 33:14. ul-fuqaha' wrote, "The totality of a woman's body is a "aurah" vulnerable) other than her face according to all of the 'ulama' in the various cities other than Abu Bakr ibn Abd al-Rahman Hisham who believes all of the body of a woman is vulnerable.

His opinion is in the minority. In the opinion of Shi'ite 'ulama', the two hands up to the wrist are like the face and are not considered vulnerable ('aurah'). Malik ibn Anis, Shafe'i, Uwza'i and Sufyan Thawri agree with the Shi'ite 'ulama' because ibn 'Abbas had recorded from the Holy Prophet who said, "The face and two hands are included in the exception." But, according to the view of Ahmad Hanbal and Dawoud Zahiri, the two hands must be covered.

The words recorded by ibn 'Abbas are sufficient to disregard this opinion. Then 'Allamah refers to the two feet saying, "As can be seen the religious jurisprudents refer to Surah Nur for the covering required for the ritual prayer yet it does not refer to the ritual prayer. That which must be covered in the ritual prayer is that which must be covered before a non mahram and if there is a difference of opinion, it is about whether or not more areas need to be covered for the ritual prayer.

But, as to the fact that which is not obligatory to cover in the ritual prayers is the same as that which is not obligatory to cover with a non-mahram, there is no difference of opinion." Ibn Rushed, the famous Andulusian religious jurisprudent, physician and philosopher wrote, "It is the opinion of the majoarity of 'ulama' that the body of a woman, other than her face and two hands, is vulnerable "aurah". Ahmad Hanifah believes that the two feet are also not included.

Abu Bakr Abd al-Rahman Hisham believes that the total body of woman is "aurah" without any exceptions. Shaikh Jawad Mughniyah wrote in his book al-Fiqh ala 'l-Mazahib al-khamsah, "All of the Islamic 'ulama' agree that it is obligatory for men and women to cover that part of the body for the ritual prayer which they cover outside of the ritual prayer. The difference arises as to how much needs to be covered.